Spotting A Great Broker

Posted on: 2 May 2016

When you're trying to sell your home, an open house can be a powerful tool to hook potential buyers. However, if it doesn't go well, you could end up losing a large number of potential buyers all in one day, so it's important to make sure that everything runs smoothly on the big day. Take a look at some major open house mistakes that could prevent you from selling your house as quickly as you'd like.

Playing Music

At first glance, turning on your stereo system sounds like a good way to set the tone for the buyers coming to look at your home. However, this can backfire on you in a big way. Buyers may think that you're playing music to hide some less enjoyable sounds – traffic sounds, a nearby train route, or neighbors who like to argue at full volume, for example. People want to know what they're going to hear when they're relaxing at home, and if they think you're trying to cover up noisy distractions, they're going to assume that the local sounds are worse than they really are.

On top of that, some people may simply not enjoy your playlist. Why risk turning off a buyer before they've even had a chance to look around, just because they don't want to listen to country music or alternative rock while they explore?

Strong Smells

It should go without saying that you don't want to cook cabbage or fish the night before an open house. Make sure not to burn any popcorn in the microwave, either. Nothing will send buyers away faster than a house with a strong, unpleasant smell.

However, even good smells that are strong can be a bad idea. Just as music may signal that you're trying to hide unpleasant sounds, scented candles and air fresheners hint that the house really doesn't smell so great underneath the perfume. If you need to deal with pet odors or cooking smells, look for an odor neutralizer without a scent of its own.

Blocking off Rooms

Letting people into your home to poke around is hard, even if you want to sell the home. It can be tempting to block access to part of your home, reasoning that it's just too much work to move all the stuff that you're storing in your basement, or that your privacy-obsessed teenager will revolt if you let strangers tour their room.

But the truth is, if you can't let people into all the rooms of the house, you're probably not going to be able to sell the house. Buyers want an exact idea of what they're getting into before they start the negotiating process. You may just not want them to see the mess in the basement, but then again, you could also be trying to hide foundation problems. How would they know which reason it is? Until you're ready to provide full access, there's no point to having an open house.

A good real estate agent can help you avoid these and other mistakes. Pay close attention to your agent's advice, and you'll sell your home that much faster. For more information, contact Coldwell Banker George Realty or a similar company.